Palestine: Joint Advocacy Initiative
Background and Project context
Horyzon supports the young people in Palestine with two different projects: on the one hand with the Joint Advocacy Initiative and on the other hand with the rehabilitation programme.
The Joint Advocacy Initiative aims to keep young people's hope alive for a just peace in the Palestinian territory. The young people should stay informed about the political situation, stand up for their rights and represent them internationally. To this end, exchanges and workshops are held with Palestinian and European youth groups. In addition, people in international partner organisations are motivated to actively work for peace in the Palestinian territory. In another part of the project, the olive tree campaign is organised to support Palestinian farming families. The law states that agricultural land that is not used for three years becomes Israeli property. Thanks to international donations of olive trees, the fields can be planted and thus remain in the possession of the Palestinian families. The Joint Advocacy Initiative supports the olive tree campaign with logistics on the ground and organises helpers for the planting of the trees and later for the olive harvest.
Location
Activities & Effects
International representation of interests and networking
Activities
- Conducting lobby visits to six international partner organisations
- Dialogues with five decision-makers (from parliaments, NGOs, etc.)
- Reception of two international YMCA/YWCA delegations and ecumenical movements
Effect
As Palestinian and international youth build lobbying capacity, global awareness of Palestinian concerns is raised as they sensitize those around them.
Olive Tree Campaign
Activities
- Distribution of approximately 40,000 olive trees to 600 farming families.
- Organization of olive tree planting and harvesting with the participation of international helpers (YMCA/YWCA, individuals, ecumenical organizations).
Effect
When olive farmers receive international support, they improve their livelihoods by securing their land claim.
Awareness-raising and human rights work with young people
Activities
- Conducting advocacy and human rights trainings for 240 Palestinian youths
- Receiving 140 foreign youth who learn about the human rights situation on the ground through trainings and exchanges with Palestinian youth
- International youth groups conduct six awareness-raising campaigns for Palestine in their home countries
Effect
When Palestinian and international actors are informed about the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, they work for a just peace in Palestine because they have a heightened awareness of the vulnerability of the Palestinian population.